10th March 2026
A Stourbridge man who has admitted 18 animal cruelty charges including those against badgers has been sent to crown court for sentence.
Appearing at Dudley Magistrates Court on Monday, Daniel Thomas Lea, aged 35, has admitted five offences of wilfully injuring a badger between September 10 2024 and January 28 2025 and five of digging for badgers between February 11 2004 and January 28 this year.
One offence of ill treatment of a badger, five of interfering with a badger sets and one of causing or attempting to cause an animal fight to take place were also dealt with – they took place between September 21 2024 and January 28 2025.
Lea, of Belbroughton Road, Stourbridge has also admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal on or before February 19 this year, namely a black male Patterdale terrier dog named Rocco on or before February 19 this year.
He was remanded on bail to appear before Wolverhampton Crown Court on a date to be arranged for sentence – the Patterdale terrier dog was made the subject of an order for him to be handed over to the RSPCA.
Evil bastards like this should be sent away for a very very long time. Animal cruelty cases should be treated the same as if this was done to a child as there is no difference. All hell is let loose when a child is hurt so why not an animal???????????????????????????????????